Second Chance
by Gryffindor's Snake
Summary: Time Travel. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna discover a spot the marauders had once gone to. A mysterious voice sends them back into the past where they will read the seven Harry potter books to James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Alice, and Frank.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! I have started another fanfic. I don't own Harry Potter. Wished I did, but I don't. **

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**THE PRESENT!**

"HARRY!" Ginny Weasley yelled, running toward her boyfriend. "Harry! You won't believe what Neville, Luna, and I found!" She cried out in joy.

Harry gave a somewhat nervous laugh, "Well what did you find? I might believe it if you tell me."

She looked like she was about to go into a long explanation but, after a moment, shook her head and said, "C'mon. It's better if you see." So Harry, still confused, followed his excited girlfriend. He wondered if someone had given her any chocolate frogs...

On the way there, Ginny explained that Neville and Luna had went and got Ron and Hermione so that they could see what was so amazing as well.

Finally, Harry saw the forms of four of his best mates. They were standing around what looked like an old oak tree. When they reached the others, Hermione, with tears in her eyes, walked over and embraced him in a siblings hug. Harry, now beyond confused, akwardly patted her back. "Er...there there Hermione. It's alright..." She just gave a sob but let go of him.

Harry looked at the others. They were all avoiding his eyes. Even Ginny, who had seemed very excited earlier, was looking away. Harry followed her gaze and saw that she was looking at part of the tree. Harry could faintly see a sort of outline. He started forward and, as he got closer, saw that the outline were words. When he reached the tree, he bent down to look at the words. What he saw made him gasp. The words were:

_**Moony Wormtail Padfoot & Prongs**_

_**Best mates and Hogwarts Marauders. **_

_**May this forever mark the spot where we solidified our friendship**_

**MARAUDERS CODE:**

**UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.**

By the time Harry finished, he had tears running down his face. This was where...his father...his godfather...his uncle in all but blood had accepted each other fully. This is where they became brothers...

His shoulders shaking, he reached out a hand and touched the part where they carved the Marauders Code. He silently said in a choked voice, "United we stand, divided we fall..." How true those words had been, he thought as he remember Wormtails betrayal. If only they had known...

Suddenly there was a flash of golden light and he heard a otherworldly voice. **"Harry James Potter. You have been given a chance to right the wrongs of the past. You and you friends will read seven books to a group of select people. After, you will go and destroy the Dark Lords Horcruxes and then the Dark Lord. You will know what I mean when you arrive. Good luck, Harry James Potter." **Then the golden light disappeared, taking with it the Boy-Who-Lived and his most trusted friends.

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**THE PAST!**

"Hey! Moony! Padfoot! Look what Lily and I found!" A young, 18 year old James Potter exclaimed in delight.

"What is it my dear prongsy? And why is our dear lily-flower not with you?" An equally young Sirius Black mock-reprimended.

"She is with our good friends Alice and Frank. I was just questioning Frank on why he didn't let his pranking abilities known at school, and then my lily-flower, being the most awesomest witch ever, discovered something that I think you'll remember." James said with a grin.

"And what, pray tell, would that be Prongs?" Muttered a tired Remus, Two nights ago was the full moon and he was still recovering.

"Come and see." And with that he ran off, leaving Sirius and Remus to exchange odd looks before shrugging their shoulders and running off after him. Wormtail was somewhere else doing who knows what.

Finally they reached an old oak tree. Sirius and Remus gasped as they saw it. It was the tree they had hidden under from the sun one hot summers day. It was the tree under which they had told Remus that they knew he was a werewolf and that it didn't matter. It was the tree under which they had showed him their animagus forms for the first time. It was under this tree that they had become brothers in everything but blood.

"I-I had forgotten...all about this spot..." Remus said shocked, as tearful but joyful memories came to his mind.

Sirius nodded his head in agreement. "Me too..." They hardly registered Lily, Alice, and Franks presences before they and James, moved toward the tree. Toward the spot that marked their friendship. Their brothership. They silently read the words they had written three years ago:

_**Moony Wormtail Padfoot & Prongs**_

_**Best mates and Hogwarts Marauders. **_

_**May this forever mark the spot where we solidified our friendship**_

**MARAUDERS CODE:**

**UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.**

As one, they eached moved forward to touch the Marauders Code. Together they said, "United we stand, divided we fall."

As soon as they had said that, there was a flash of golden light and six people, around their age appeared out of nowhere. Being in the middle of the first war, the wizards and witches of the past pointed their wands at the wizards and witches of the future. The ones from the future, having just finished the second war, reacted just as fast.

Sirius, who had his wand pointed at a black haired wizard, let his eyes widen as he saw the exraordinary similarities between his best mate and this stranger. They could have been twins! Finding his voice he asked in a commanding tone, "Who are you?"

Harry, having been shocked at seeing his younger godfather, took a moment to answer. Finally he said, "Harry Potter." He didn't know why he answered truthfully, but he just had a feeling he should.

Everyones attention turned toward him when he stated his name. There was a moment of silence before, "You can't be a Potter." Said James, though he was struck by how much alike they looked. "I have no cousins or siblings."

Harry smiled sadly at him and said, "I am a Potter because I come from the future." Their were several people who gave an increculous laugh. Lily, however, stepped forward.

She looked into his eyes, eyes that were so much like hers, and saw the truth and sincerity of the words he spoke. She gave a gasp as she looked at him. Slowly she said one word, a word that would change everything. "Son?"

Harry, though shocked, smiled and said, "Yes."

She looked up at him, as he was taller, and asked in a soft voice, "How?"

"As I said before, I was sent from the future by a mysterious force. Trust me, I expected this to happen as much as you did." Harry explained in a soft, but carrying voice. Everyone in the clearing heard him. They heard the honesty in his voice.

James stepped forward as well. He, once again, looked at the stranger. He saw how much alike they looked. Saw how he carried himself with a relaxed but guarded posture, how James himself postured himself most of the time. But it was his eyes, it was his eyes that made James believe that this young wizard was indeed his son. The eyes that looked like Lily's eyes.

James stepped forward and embraced the young man. After he stepped back Lily took his place and hugged the wizard from the future. Their son.

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**Hey! This is the first chapter of 'Second Chance' I read a couple of these types of Fanfics and couldn't resist. R&R please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Chapter two is here! I own nothing! Wish I did. But I don't. **

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"Ok. So we accept that you're Prongsy's and Lilly-flowers creation of love." Said people blushed bright red. "But what I don't understand is why you're here? Shouldn't you and your friends be...oh I dunno...in the future?!" Said Sirius. They were all sitting down under the trees shade. They had put up wards to prevent eavesdropping and apparating.

"Well...I don't really know what happened. I remember Ginny," He pointed towards the red-haired witch beside him, "taking me to this tree where the others already were. I saw the carvings you made and touched the Marauders Code. After that I said the code and a goldent light came out of nowhere. Then a voice told me that I was to go to the past and read seven books to a select group of people. I guess that's you guys." Harry said, purposely leaving out the part about the Horcruxes and Voldemort.

"Well then...where are the books?" Frank asked.

"I don't know...that's the probl-" Harry was cut off by another flash of gold light, smaller than the first, and as it cleared away, saw seven books. He blinked. "Well...That answers that..." He reached over and picked up the book on the top of the stack. He groaned when he looked at the title.

"What is it?" Lily asked worried.

"The title." And Harry turned the book around so that all could see. It read **"Harry Potter And the Sorcerer's Stone" **

"Woah mate. I knew you were famous. But not _that _famous." Ron said with a smirk. "What would Lockheart say?"

Harry growled. "Shut up you prat!" and threw the book at him.

Ron grinned and said, "Of course I'll read the first chapter of your life story. You really needn't ask." And with a smirk, he opened the book to chapter one. On which his smirk got bigger. "Ahem. ** The Boy Who Lived" **Harry groaned.

"Who's the Boy Who Lived?" Alice asked.

"No one." Harry said nervously, "Absolutely no one." The other's from the future smirked at their friends delima. Except Luna. She just kept smiling dreamily.

**"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley," **

Lily groaned.

"What's wrong Lils?" Remus asked.

"My sister just married a guy named Vernon Dursley."

Alice, who had met her sister, groaned as well.

"What's wrong with your sister?" James asked.

"She hates everything to do with magic. Which I think you'll soon see if she's already being mentioned." Lily explained.

**"of number four, Private Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense."**

"Your sister and her hubby seems to have a stick shoved up their arse. They should get that checked out." Sirius said, mock seriously.

Everyone chuckled.

**"Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**

"What are drills?" Frank asked.

To everyones suprise, it was Sirius who answered. "They're a kind of muggle tool that makes holes in wood and stuff and helps muggles build things."

"How in the name of Merlins left ear did you know that Padfoot?" James asked.

"Because my dear Prongs, I took Muggle Studies to spite my family."

"And you actually paid attention?" Remus said in suprise.

"Yeah. It's actually pretty neat seeing what muggles come up with." He said with a shrug.

**"He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**

"Yup. That Petunia all right."

**"The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere"**

"Oh great. Now we know he's gonna be spoilt rotten." said Neville with a grimace. Harry never really went into detail about his muggle relatives. The only who had an idea of the kind of environment Harry had lived in were Ron and Hermione. And even they didn't know most things.

**"The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it."**

At this everyone straightened up slightly.

**"They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters." **

"And what's wrong with the Potters?!" James cried in rage.

"Yeah! Besides this git they're all a pretty O.K. lot!" Sirius yelled.

James turned and glared at him and looked like he was about to pounce, but Lily took his arm and held him back. "Settle down." She commanded in her 'disobey-me-and-die' tone.

James immediately backed down.

**"Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be."**

James held Lily to him while muttering something about showing them how 'unDursleyish' he could be.

**"The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street"**

Sirius smirked. "You should go to their house. Just to spite them Prongs."

James smirked as well. "That I should Padfoot, that I should"

**"The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

"Yeah? Well I don't want my son mixing with your's either Tuney!" Lily yelled.

**"When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. **

Everyone shifted in interest again.

**"Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair."**

"Brat." They all said in unison.

**"None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. **

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar- a cat reading a map.**

"Wait! What?" Sirius asked. He looked towards Harry expectantly.

"What? I don't know. I was just a baby by the sound of things." Harry said, defending his lack of knowledge.

"Maybe...an animagus?" Remus asked.

"Hmm...Bet it's McGonagall." Frank said.

"You're on! Two Galleons say's it's not!" Sirius yelled.

"What? But I was just thinking out loud!" Frank protested.

"Sorry old chap! Can't take back a bet!" Sirius grinned.

**"For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen-"**

"Not the first or last time I'm sure." Lily and Hermione said bitterly.

They looked at each other, shocked.

**"then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive-no, **_**looking **_**at the sign; cats couldn't read maps **_**or **_**signs."**

"Muggles will believe anything to ignore the proof of magic." Neville said.

**"Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. **

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

"What the-" Frank said. "Who would be foolish enough to wear wizarding clothes in the middle of muggle central?"

"I imagine the wrackspurts had something to do with it." Luna said in her usual dreamy voice.

"Er...what are-" Alice cut herself off by looking at Neville who was shaking his head.

**"Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes- the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion."**

"You're stupid!" Sirius yelled.

**"He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitely together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them were'nt young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emeral-green cloak!"**

"Now, I'll admit. That is a stupid fashion." Sirius said.

Everyone stared at him.

"What? It's _green_" As if that explained everything. And for Sirius and James, it probably did.

**"The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt-these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills."**

"One track mind he's got." Ginny said.

**"Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning."**

"And we all know how awful that would be." Sirius said rolling his eyes.

**"**_**He **_**didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped over-head."**

"Ok...People are really getting reckless now. There had better be a good reason for it." Remus said.

**"Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more."**

"Charming man isn't he?" James said with much rolling of the eyes.

**"He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. **

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. **

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"**

**"-yes, their son, Harry-"**

"Why are they talking about my family?" James asked.

"More importantly, why are they talking about Harry? He can't have done anything that would make them talk about him. He's only a baby afterall." Lily questioned.

**"Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. **

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking...no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew **_**was **_**called Harry."**

"What! They don't even know their own _nephews _name!" Lily screeched.

"Mum. Calm down. It's okay. Really." Harry said, trying to sound soothing.

"No it bloody well isn't! How could you Tuney!" Everyone winced. Whether at her shrill tone or the fact that Lily NEVER cussed.

**"He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her-if **_**he'd **_**had a sister like that..."**

"You would be very lucky!" James said protectively, wrapping an arm around his girlfriends shoulder. Lily smiled at him.

**"But all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. **

**"Sorry," He grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. "**

"He can apologize!" Alice said, "Amazing." She said, with an air of great shock.

**"It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"" **

Everyone from the past stared at the book in shock. Voldemort? Gone at last? It was to good to be true...

**"And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off. **

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set of for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination."**

"Wow...He sounds alot like my mother..." Sirius said shocked.

"Oh c'mon Sirius. Your mum can't be that bad." Lily said shocked.

"Oh yes she can." Sirius, James, Remus, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all said.

"You know my mother?" Sirius asked the kids from the future.

"You will see young grasshopper." Harry said, moving his hands in a mystic fashion. Hermione and Lily laughed. The other's just stared confused.

**"As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw-and it didn't improve his mood-was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the sameone; it had the same markings around its eyes."**

"COUGH-McGonagall-COUGH" Frank coughed, shooting Sirius a grin. Sirius rolled his eyes.

**""Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look."**

Frank's grin became even bigger.

**"Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. **

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early-it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.""**

"They should really be more careful." Lily said worridely with Remus and Alice nodding their heads looking just a worried.

**"Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters..."**

"Uh-oh. If he can put the pieces together, anyone can." Remus said nervously.

**"Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er-Petunia, dear-you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

Lily sighed and buried her face into James chest.

**"No," she said sharply, "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"**_**So?" **_**snapped Mrs. Dursley. **

**"Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...**_**her**_** crowd."**

"Hey! Our crowd is awesome! You all wish your crowd was as awesome and cool and stuff like our crowd!" Sirius yelled. Everyone just looked at him.

**"Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare.**

"Wimp." James said.

**"Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son-he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Harry is a great name!" Lily and Ginny yelled. They looked at each other and grinned.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something."**

Frank again grinned at Sirius. Sirius responded in a most mature way by sticking his toungue out at him.

**"Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did...if it got out that they were related to a pair of-well, he didn't think he could bear it. **

"Yes. Because if everyone found out you were related to us then they would always be annoying you with comments about how they wished their family were as wicked as yours and you would be so overcome with positive comments that you would die. And we would all throw a party!" James stated. Everyone else just stared at him. Harry snickered.

**"The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters **_**were **_**involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind.... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on- he yawned and turned over- it couldn't affect **_**them**_**....**

**How very wrong he was."**

"I don't like the sound of that..." Lily said in a worried voice.

**"Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground."**

Everyone laughed at that mental image.

**"The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt He was wearing long robes, a puple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore."**

Everyone gave a loud cheer when Dumbledores name was mentioned.

"I bet _he's _the reason Voldemorts gone!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Hm...Somehow...I don't think he is..." Remus said slowly.

"What do you mean Moony ol' friend, ol' pal of mine?" Sirius asked confused.

"Well...the chapter title is the BOY who lived. And let's face it...Dumbledores no boy..." Remus explained.

Sirius opened his mouth for a moment, and then closed it. He opened it again, then closed it again. Finally he said, "I hate it when you're right."

"I know." Remus said smugly.

**"Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome."**

"Dumbledore wouldn't." Harry said.

Everyone chuckled.

**"He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." **

Frank smirked and Sirius looked sadly at his money pouch.

**"He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. **

Sirius and James looked at eachother. They grinned. The smart people who knew them immediately put their hands over their ears. "WICKED! I WANT ONE!!!!!!!" They yelled.

Ron, after getting his hearing back, smirked at the two, but wisely kept the very same Put-Outer in the story in his pocket.

**"If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. **

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"YES!" Frank yelled, punching his fist in the air. Sirius, grumbling, handed over two Galleons.

"Don't be a sore winner Frankie." Sirius said, still sulking.

**"He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a reather sever-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. **

"TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sirius yelled. Everyone just scooted away from him.

**"Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. **

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

The marauders chuckled, "Thats our Minnie!" James exclaimed.

"Minnie?" Lily asked.

"That's what we call our dear professor head!" Sirius yelled.

"That's the reason she's given us half the detentions we get from her." Remus explained.

"Then why do you call her that?" Alice asked.

"It's funny to see her faces reaction. Even though we've called her that a million times she never gets used to it." James stated.

Harry leaned over to Ron and whispered "Maybe we should do that when we get back."

Ron snickered, "We'll give her a right heart attack."

They both snickered until they saw the LOOK directed at them from Hermione and immediately stopped. Ron quickly started reading again.

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, Everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no- even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls...shooting stars...Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

"Hm...Dedalus Diggle. Isn't he that hyper kid a year below us?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. I went out with him in third year." Alice said.

"Hmph. I never did like that kid." Frank said crossing his arms.

Alice just rolled her eyes.

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

Everyone looked at each other shocked. "So... this means that this is gonna happen in three or fours years time...Voldemorts gonna be dead...in three or four years time..." Sirius said shocked.

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A **_**what?**_**" **

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops.**

"Awwww! C'mon Minnie! Every moment is a moment for lemon drops!" Sirius said.

"D'you even know what a lemon drop is Black?" Alice asked.

"Of course I do. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of." Sirius said, quoting Dumbledore word for word.

Alice rolled her eyes.

**"As I say, even if You-Know-Who **_**has **_**gone--"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like youself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense-- for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort."**_** Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

"Well of course he hasn't. He's _Dumbledore._"

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, **_**Voldemort, **_**was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too--well--**_**noble**_** to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Oooooo! Do I sense a triangle going on here?" Sirius asked while grinning.

"No my dearest Padfoot. It is more like a line. With our favorite headmaster in the middle." James said also grinning.

**"Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore"**

"My jealousy sences are tingling!" Sirius yelled.

"Why Padfoot. I never knew you felt that way about Dumbledore." Remus said with a smirk.

"Wha?" Was Sirius' brilliant reply.

**"and said, "The owls are nothing next to the **_**rumors**_** that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

Everyone shifted again.

**"It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer. **

**"What they're **_**saying**_**," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumore is that Lily and James Potter are--are--that they're--**_**dead.**_**"**

Everyone from the past stared at the book in shock. Finally, "B-But we can't be d-dead...Why would Voldemort want us?" Lily asked, with a slight amount of fear in her voice.

"I-I don't know, Lily. I don't know." James said, shaking a little, but gathering Lily in his arms all the same.

Remus was watching them with pain and sadness in his eyes. He felt a new, stronger rage toward Voldemort. How _dare _that-that _monster _kill members of _his _pack. Voldemort had better watch out, because he now had a furious werewolf after his arse.

Sirius reaction was similar to Remus's. Voldemort had _killed _his brother. The dog in Sirius was howled with rage and anguish. He didn't care if Voldemort was the greatest dark lord of all time. By the time Sirius was done with his arse, even _Bellatrix _won't be able to recognize him.

Ron continued in a kind of choked voice

**"Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. "Lily and James...I can't believe it...I didn't want to believe it...Oh, Albus..."**

James smiled grimly, "I never knew Minnie cared so much..."

**"Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know...I know..." He said heavily. **

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But--he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke--and that's why he's gone."**

Everyone stared at Harry in shock. Harry suddenly became determined to examine every inch of the tree.

"But...how did...you survive?" Lily asked shakily.

"I-It should explain later on in the book." Harry said, still determined to look at nothing but the tree.

Everyone realized that this was a touchy subject, and dropped it.

**"Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's--it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done...all the people he's killed...he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding...of all the things to stop him...but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

Harry snorted quietly.

**"Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle."**

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!!!" Lily screamed.

"MY SON WILL NOT LIVE WITH MAGIC HATING MUGGLES!!! THEY WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND HIM!" James shouted in fury.

Harry watched all this in shock. If they reacted this badly to just the _idea _of him living there, how would they react with him actually living there. Nevermind that. How would they react to how he was treated there? Harry shivered at that thought.

**"They're the only family he has left now." **

"No they're not!! He has me!!!" Sirius yelled.

"And me!!!" Remus added.

Lily and James smiled at their two friends.

**"You don't mean--you **_**can't **_**mean the people who live **_**here**_**?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore--you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son--I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"I never thought I'd say this, but, listen to Professor McGonagall Dumbledore!" Lily cried.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter." **

"I'm gonna have a word with Dumbledores portrait when we get back." Harry whispered to himself.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous--a legend--I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future-- there will be books written about Harry-- every child in our world will know his name!" **

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"He does have a point..." said Lily slowly, "But did he have to give you to my sister? Why couldn't he have given you to one of our close friends that wouldn't have treated you differently?"

Harry sighed. "That's also explained in the books. But there is a reason."

**"Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes--yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it. **

"He better not." said Lily dangerously.

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

Everyone gave a cheer at Hagrid's name.

**"You think it--**_**wise**_**--to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life." Harry and James both said together. They looked at each other and grinned. Identical grins.

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life." said Dumbledore."**

This time they both blinked and looked at the book as though not daring to believe it.

Everyone else just laughed.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to--what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky--and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. **

James and Sirius looked wide eyed at the book. If one looked closely they would be able to detect signs of drool. Finally both Sirius and James, at their upmost loudest, screamed, "WICKED!!! I WAN'T IT!!!!"

"It's gonna be my bike Prongsie." Sirius said seriously.

"No way Paddy. The bike is mine." James said just as seriously.

"Three Galleons say's its mine." Sirius said, knowing James would rise to the challenge.

And sure enough, "Three say's its not."

They shook on it while the other shook their heads.

**"If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so **_**wild**_**--long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. **

"HAGRID!!!" Everyone yelled.

**"In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets. **

"That better not be who I think it is..." Lily said dangerously.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me."**

"YES!!!!!" Sirius yelled as he started jumping up and down while punching his fist in the air. Apparently he was more satisfied that he got an awesome motorcycle in the future then three Galleons now.

James just shook his head, handed over the Galleons, and said, "You had better let me ride the motorcycle mate."

Sirius nodded, "Of course. What are best mates for?"

**"I've got him, sir."**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir--house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol." **

"Awww!" All the witches in the area sighed. Besides Luna. She just smiled. Harry blushed. He really hoped there wasn't much baby him in the book.

**"Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"Why do you have a lightning shaped cut on your forehead?" Lily asked.

Harry sighed. "It'll probally explain in the book."

"Do you still have it?" James asked.

Harry lifted up his bangs so that they could all see the scar. Still visible, even after all these years.

**"Is that where--?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy."**

Harry blinked. He leaned over to Ron and Hermione and whispered, "Do you think he was talking about the link between me and Voldemort?" They shrugged.

**"I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground."**

Sirius suddenly burst into laughter.

"Er...you ok mate?" James asked.

"I-I can just picture Dumbledore w-walking around t-the L-London Underg-ground with his r-robe above his kn-knee and b-bending over to keep looking at i-it so he w-won't get l-lost!!!" Sirius said through his laughter. Everyone pictured it in their mind and started to laugh as well.

**"Well--give him here, Hagrid--we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I--could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog."**

"I take offense to that statement!!" Sirius yelled.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, James, and Remus all laughed. The others looked confused.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it--Lily an' James dead--an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles--"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on youself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,"**

"That's comforting Minnie." James said with an eye roll.

**"Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the blankets, and then came back to the other two."**

"Wait...So he just LEFT YOU ON THEIR DOORSTEP!?" Lily screamed in fury.

"I-I guess. I don't remember this part...I was asleep..." Harry said, also shocked at how he was left.

"You could have gotten sick, or kidnapped, or a dog could have carried you off and...and...Oh my god! I'm gonna kill that senile old fool!" Lily screamed again.

Everyone backed away from her very slowly. Even James.

**"For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out."**

Sirius gave a mock gasp. "You put out the twinkle!"

And he sounded so stupid that even Lily gave a small smile.

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall--Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. **

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four."**

Lily growled dangerously again.

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on,"**

"Awww!" the witches of the group said again as Harry blushed. Again.

**"not knowing he was special,"**

"Yes Harry, you are VERY special." Hermione said with a smirk. Harry lightly pushed her with a roll of his eyes. They others, beside Lily, looked confused.

**"not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley....He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying, in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter--the boy who lived!"**

Everyone looked at Harry in awe. Harry shifted uncomfortably. Finally, after a few moments of akward silence, at least to Harry, he said hurridley, "Look. Just because I survived doesn't make me special! I'm just a normal wizard who got lucky! That's all! So...so don't look at me...like that...please..." Harry said this while clenching his fists and staring at the ground.

Ginny wrapped her arms around her upset boyfriend. "You're more than that and you know it. A normal wizard couldn't do half the things you did, not counting when you were a baby." She whispered so that no one but Harry would hear her. Harry gave her a shaky smile.

After a moment, he turned to Ron, who was looking at him with worry. Harry smiled and said, "Give me the book, mate. I wanna read about me now. Besides, if the next chapter has my time at the Dursleys' in it, it would really be best for me to read."

Ron, who slightly understood his situation, nodded and handed over the book.

Harry, feeling everyones gaze on him, turned the page to the next chapter. He smirked as he read the chapter title. **"The Vanishing Glass"**

* * *

**Hey! How did I do? Is it good? Bad? Outstanding? Troll? R&R Plz!**


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